


amber and honey

by sangi



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-17
Updated: 2012-01-17
Packaged: 2018-03-13 16:01:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3387803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sangi/pseuds/sangi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everyone in the Fire Nation Royal Family has gold-yellow eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	amber and honey

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted in 2012, posted here again for archival reasons.

Everyone in the Fire Nation Royal Family has gold-yellow eyes.

 

* * *

Sozin regards his son contemplatively. 

Azulon is awake, staring at him without crying. His eyes are a solemn amber. 

“That makes you a true son of the Fire Nation,” Sozin says softly. He reaches his hand down to pick the boy up, but Azulon instead latches onto his index finger. 

The child’s expression does not change when Sozin pulls away, although he struggles to keep his hold.

Sozin slowly smiles.

“Yes,” he says, “a true son.”

 

* * *

Azulon is in the Earth Kingdom when Iroh is born. He does not return for almost a year.

It is late at night the first time he sees his heir; he enters the nursery and does not quiet his footsteps as he approaches the crib.

Iroh is asleep, drooling onto the padding of his bed. 

Azulon begins to frown, but Iroh wakes suddenly. His wide eyes glint gold in the moonlight. 

The older prince lights a small fire in his hand.

His face concentrated, Iroh’s hands grasp for the flames.

 

* * *

Ozai is his second-born child. In Azulon’s eyes, that makes him little more than a possible replacement for his heir. He does not visit his new son until he is almost four months old.

Iroh, however, first meets his brother soon after he is born.

His mother is sleeping in a chair when he enters the room. He tiptoes over to the low crib, making sure not to wake Ilah. 

He climbs on the bars and peeks inside the crib.

Ozai is staring up at him with gold eyes. As soon as he appears over the edge of the bars, Ozai’s brows furrow. 

“Are you my little brother?” Iroh asks curiously.

Ozai frowns and begins to cry.

 

* * *

Fire Lady Ilah visits her grandson one week after his mother dies.

She finds Iroh in the nursery. “Where is my grandson?” she asks.

His eyes are flat. “Please be quiet, mother. You will upset Lu Ten.”

She smiles soberly as she approaches the cradle. “I am not so old so as to have forgotten what babies are like, Iroh.” 

Ilah looks at the boy. After a moment, she reaches out a hand and softly strokes Lu Ten’s cheek. He wakes and blinks sleepily.

“He looks like you,” Ilah muses. 

Iroh’s brows furrow. 

“He has your eyes,” she explains.

 

* * *

Zuko gurgles contentedly. 

Ursa smiles. “Zuko,” she says quietly, cradling him in her arms. 

His eyes crinkle in amusement. He reaches out his hand in an attempt to reach her face, but he can only touch the tip of her nose. 

His mother laughs quietly. “Oh, my little prince,” she says, rocking him back and forth.

In response, he yawns and rubs at his eyes. 

She takes in his little face with her eyes. “I will protect you,” Ursa murmurs, “I will do everything to protect you.”

Prince Zuko blinks his honey eyes and falls asleep.


End file.
